The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' Demi Engemann faces lawsuit from Marciano Brunette following misconduct accusations

Vanderpump Villa star Marciano Brunette has sued The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives fame Demi Engemann after she accused him of s*xual assault. 

On Friday, December 5, 2025, Us Weekly exclusively reported that, according to the legal documents obtained, Marciano had filed a lawsuit against the Hulu star.

As per Marciano’s legal team, Demi had falsely branded him as a “s*xual predator,” claiming it tarnished his reputation.

They claimed Demi had spun an untrue narrative about Marciano, alleging that whatever happened between the two of them when they met while filming Vanderpump Villa in 2024 was consensual. 

The drama came to a head when Marciano alleged that he had kissed Demi when the Mormon Wives came to Italy to film for Vanderpump Villa.

However, in season 3 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Demi insisted that their physical interaction was “unwanted.” 

Demi had made similar accusations in May on an episode of The Viall Files, when she mentioned that she had been groped during the trip.

Although she did not name Marciano, he took to social media to slam Demi for making “crazy allegations” against him.

Both stars have doubled down on their stances since the season aired, ultimately leading to Marciano to file a lawsuit against Demi. 

Vanderpump Villa star Marciano’s legal team alleges Demi remained in contact with him for months after filming in Italy

According to the legal documents obtained by Us Weekly, Marciano and his team dismissed the authenticity of Demi's “unwanted touch” claim. 

They claimed the “truth is straightforward,” alleging that Demi and Marciano “flirted,” “spoke privately,” and shared a “consensual kiss.” Following that, the pair “separated.”

However, the documents claimed that even after the incident during filming, Demi remained in touch with Marciano, which was proof that their relationship was never one-sided or coercive in nature.

“After filming, Engemann stayed in contact with Marciano for months through calls, FaceTime, texts, invitations, and even location sharing. That behavior confirms a continued relationship, not a person reacting to s*xual assault,” the document read.

Marciano’s legal team further suggested that the accusations significantly affected his reputation, noting how “they were published broadly” and “republished repeatedly.”

According to them, the claims remained in the spotlight with such intensity that they planted a false narrative as the “truth in the minds of viewers.”

“The damage has been immediate and severe, including lost professional opportunities, harassment by strangers, and lasting harm to Marciano’s reputation,” they added.

They went a step further, pointing fingers at the producers of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives for milking the narrative for “profit.”

While the lawsuit has become public news, Demi has yet to make a statement about the recent development. 

During the season 3 reunion, when some of her co-stars were sharing their stories of assault, Demi opened up about the challenges she has had to face since the incident with Marciano, saying:

“With everything I went through the past year, not to compare because what I went through was not even close to what almost everyone has gone through, but it triggered a lot of really horrible things that have happened in my life. So to not be believed and be questioned and called a liar, it was horrible.”

Frustrated with being branded as a liar in the whole situation, Demi broke down in tears during the reunion, saying it was “excruciating” and ruining her reputation.

Earlier in November, after the season was released, Marciano gave an official statement to PEOPLE, denying ever touching Demi inappropriately or without her consent. 

He stated that he took the matter “extremely seriously,” calling the situation the “most difficult” he had faced. He added that the accusations were “entirely false” and “profoundly damaging.”

As a response to his statement, Demi’s representative told E! News on November 21 that the way the situation was being “minimized” was uncomfortable to witness, especially as a woman. 

Stay tuned for more updates.